A new £5m Innovation Fund is to be established to support Further
Education (FE) colleges look at new ways to support learners, the
Minister for Education and Welsh Language, has announced.
The fund will invest in projects which aim to support learners in
key areas including skill development, wellbeing and resilience
and adaptability while helping FE colleges work together.
Supporting creative solutions is at the heart of the fund;
encouraging colleges to explore new ways of working and
continuing to ensure Wales is a place where people of all ages
receive a high-quality education. Colleges have already
implemented successful initiatives like Junior Apprenticeships,
Employment Bureaus and Accelerated Learning programmes; the fund
will look to expand on these already successful programmes.
Alongside this, the Minister has also allocated further funding
to FE colleges to help with rising costs. Over £2.5m will be used
to support learners undertaking vocational programmes by helping
colleges to cover the increased costs of consumable materials
like wood and steel, critical to vocational courses such as
construction.
The Financial Contingency Fund will also receive a boost of
£1.345m. The fund supports learners who are experiencing
financial hardship; enabling them to continue to access a college
education. Learners who might be entitled to this support should
get in touch with their college.
Minister for Education and Welsh Language, , said: “The
cost-of-living crisis represents significant challenge to
colleges, so we need to look at new ways of working. The
Innovation Fund will allow FE providers to consider creative new
ways of working and collaborating with others in the sector to
benefit learners.
“I look forward to seeing new concepts and I know providers will
rise to the challenge.
“Money should never be a barrier to accessing education, which is
why I am also pleased to increase funding to the Financial
Contingency Fund, which will now be able to assist more learners.
This can help with costs like meals, childcare and travel to make
sure learners facing low income can keep learning.”
